Species At Risk

Small White
Lady’s-slipper Fact Sheet

Designated by Manitoba as Endangered in 1992, the small white
lady’s-slipper is an orchid found in unbroken prairies and wet
meadows. COSEWIC designated this plant as nationally Endangered in
1981. Its status was reviewed and confirmed in 1999 and 2000.

The small white lady’s-slipper occurs in three areas in
Manitoba: in southeastern Manitoba, near Kleefeld and the Tall
Grass Prairie Preserve; in southwestern Manitoba, near Brandon;
and in the Interlake region, near St. Laurent. The largest site in
the province is at the Tall Grass Prairie Preserve (TGPP), where
as many as 24 patches, ranging in size from 4 square metres to 4.5
hectares, are monitored annually. Two sites in Ontario are the
only other places in Canada where the small white lady’s-slipper
can be found.

The decline of this species can be attributed in part to
agricultural activities, including habitat conversion, draining,
and intensive grazing. Illegal picking or transplanting, invasion
of weedy species, and hybridization with yellow lady’s-slippers
also threaten this species. Small white lady’s-slippers require
an abundance of light to bloom and flourish. Management practices
on the TGPP include burning, light rotational grazing and mowing,
with the purpose of clearing away dead vegetation and woody growth
that blocks sunlight. Small white lady’s-slippers bloom in late
May to early June, and can be damaged by late spring frost.